Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has confirmed he will not participate in the Russia-Ukraine peace talks being held in Istanbul, joining Russian President Vladimir Putin and former U.S. President Donald Trump in abstaining from direct involvement. Delegations from both Kyiv and Moscow are set to represent their governments in discussions aimed at ending the ongoing conflict.
The peace summit, hosted in Istanbul by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, was initiated with the aim of addressing the protracted war that began with Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Despite the high stakes, none of the principal political leaders from the key parties—Ukraine, Russia, or the United States—will be attending in person. Instead, senior-level delegations have been tasked with leading the dialogue.
Ukraine’s team will be headed by Defense Minister Rustem Umerov and includes senior figures from the military and intelligence services. Russia’s delegation will be led by Vladimir Medinsky, a presidential aide who has participated in earlier rounds of negotiations. The absence of President Putin from talks he himself proposed has sparked criticism from Kyiv and international observers, who interpret it as a lack of genuine commitment to resolving the conflict.
During a joint appearance with President Erdoğan in Ankara, Zelenskyy condemned the Russian approach to the talks, stating that Russia’s participation was symbolic rather than serious. He called for increased international pressure on Moscow and reiterated his willingness to meet with Putin directly, saying, “You want to meet? Let’s meet.” Zelenskyy underscored that Ukraine’s presence at the summit was a gesture of respect toward Turkey and its efforts to mediate.
The absence of high-level leaders from the negotiating table casts doubt on the prospects for substantive breakthroughs. Analysts note that while the presence of military and diplomatic experts is important, without the direct involvement of top decision-makers, any agreements reached may lack the authority or political backing needed for implementation. The talks proceed amid growing international concern about the war’s duration and the humanitarian toll it continues to exact.
As negotiations begin in Istanbul without the direct participation of Presidents Zelenskyy, Putin, or Trump, the world watches to see whether their appointed representatives can make meaningful progress toward ending a conflict that has reshaped global politics and devastated communities across Ukraine.
